Hose shroud

ABSTRACT

A hose shroud ( 10 ) comprising a plurality of expanded sections ( 12 ) and clamping sections ( 22 ), arranged to engage a bundle of hoses or lines, wherein in use, the hose shroud ( 10 ) is arranged such that an outer wall ( 18 ) of the hose shroud ( 10 ) is placed under an inner wall ( 20 ) of the hose shroud ( 10 ) defining a reservoir ( 28 ) therein, the inner wall ( 20 ) and outer wall ( 18 ) are held in close contact by a plurality of raised protuberances ( 16 ) on the outer wall surface ( 18 ), the spaced apart inner ( 20 ) and outer wall ( 18 ) surfaces of the hose shroud ( 10 ) are arranged such as to form a lumen ( 14 ) to allow fluid communication of fluids leaked within the reservoir ( 28 ) and the exterior of the hose shroud ( 10 ).

FIELD OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention relates to a hose shroud.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is known when using a number of hydraulic hoses and lines or the likeare often formed into a bundle of hoses which are connected by clamps ormounting brackets. Bundles are formed to keep the workspace clear andthe hoses or lines untangled.

The clamps and mounting brackets used to form a bundle of hoses or linescan work to increase wear on the hoses or lines as the clamps andmounting brackets may at as a friction point that rub against the outercasings of the hoses or lines. It is also known that rock fragments orswarf can become engaged with the bundle where they cause premature wearthrough damage to the outer casings of the hoses or lines.

It is known that hydraulic hoses or lines may also present significantdanger to personnel. Failure of the outer casing may occur whereby thecontents of the hose or line, which are kept under pressure, areexplosively released. In industrial high pressure applications this hasbeen known to cause significant injury and even death.

The present invention provides a hose shroud which attempts to overcomeat least in part the aforementioned disadvantages of the prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provideda hose shroud arranged to cover and engage a bundle of hoses or lines,spaced apart inner and outer wall surfaces of the hose shroud beingarranged to form a lumen to allow the passage of fluids contained withinthe hose shroud to the exterior of the hose shroud.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The present invention will now be described, by way of example, withreference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a hose shroud in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows two hose shrouds in accordance with the present inventionarranged to join together;

FIG. 3 shows a cut-away view of the hose shroud in accordance with thepresent invention engaging a bundle of hoses;

FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of an hose shroud along the line A-Aof FIG. 3 in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 5 shows two hose shrouds of the present invention being arranged toengage a large bundle of hose or lines.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings, there is shown anelongated hose shroud 10 arranged to engage a bundle of hoses or lines.The hose shroud 10 comprises a plurality of expanded sections 12 whichare separated by a plurality of relatively narrow clamping sections 22.The hose shroud 10 is preferably formed of a polymer material, morepreferably the hose shroud comprises a thermoplastic polymer material,even more preferably a polyurethane material. The hose shroud 10 may beof any length. However, the hose shroud 10 preferably starts and endswith a clamping section 22.

Each expanded section 12 comprises an outer wall 18 surface and aplurality of raised protuberances 16 formed on the outer wall 18. Theraised protuberances 16 extend from the outer wall 18 for at least partof the circumference of the hose shroud. A web portion 30 mayadditionally be provided at the terminating portions of the outer wallsurface 18 in each of the expanded sections 12 to prevent swarf orforeign material entering the lumen 14. The web portion 30 are arrangedto prevent swarf or foreign material entering the lumen 14 by forming aphysical barrier to entry, however, fluid travelling through the lumen14 will pass the web portion 30.

Shown in FIG. 1 the hose shroud 10 not engaging a bundle of hoses, thehose shroud 10 is arranged such that an opening between the inner edge24 and the outer edge 26 allows the hose shroud to be slipped over abundle of hoses or lines. Once engaged with the bundle of hoses or lines(as shown in FIG. 3) the inner edge 24 is arranged to pass over theouter edge 26 thereby covering the bundle of hoses or lines.

The hose shroud 10 is arranged to engage a bundle of hoses such thatwhen engaged the hose shroud 10 completely covers the entire bundle ofhoses and an amount of the hose shroud 10 overlaps itself. In situationswhere a large bundle of hoses needs to be engaged multiple sections ofthe hose shroud 10 may be employed to ensure that an overlap occurs (seeFIG. 5).

Once engaged with a bundle of hoses an inner wall surface 20 and anouter wall surface 18 of the expanded section 12 engage, whereby anouter edge 26 of the hose shroud 10 passes under an inner edge 24forming a reservoir 28 (see FIG. 4). The arrangement of the inner wallsurface 20 and the outer wall surface 18 define the lumen 14 (see FIG.3). The reservoir 28 is defined by the clamping sections 22 that areheld in close contact with the bundle of hoses or lines and the innerwall 20.

The lumen 14 is arranged to maintain fluid communication between thereservoir 28 and the exterior of the elongated hose shroud 10. As shownin FIG. 2, the hose shroud 10 typically comprises a plurality ofreservoirs 28 alternating with a plurality of clamping sections 22

Referring to FIG. 3, shown is a cut away view of the hose shroud 10 inaccordance with the present invention. The spaced apart inner wallsurface 20 and outer wall 18 surface define the lumen 14. The lumen 14extends throughout the overlapping portions of the expanded section 12.The web section 30 is arranged to be in close contact with the outerwall surface 18. The web portion 30 acts to prevent swarf or foreignmaterial from entering the lumen 14 from the exterior of the shroud.

Referring to FIG. 4, shown is a cross-sectional view (taken along theline A-A shown in FIG. 3) of the hose shroud 10 engaging a bundle ofhoses or lines. The inner wall surface 20 and outer wall surface 18 areshown spaced apart defining the lumen 14. The lumen 14 extendsthroughout the overlapping portions of the expanded section 12 placingthe reservoir 28 in fluid communication with the exterior of the hoseshroud 10.

FIG. 5 shows two hose shrouds 10 arranged to engage a larger diameterbundle of hoses or lines. In situations where larger bundle of hoses orlines must be engaged, two or more hose shrouds 10 may be overlapped toensure that the bundle is covered.

In the event of the reservoir 28 filling with fluid, the lumen 14 willact as an escape path for the fluid, whereby the fluid contained withinthe reservoir 28 is released without being able to reach high pressure.The raised protuberances 16 on the outer wall 18 engage the inner wallsurface 20 of the inner edge 24 maintaining the lumen 14.

In use, the hose shroud 10 is arranged to be fitted over and wrappedaround a bundle of hydraulic hoses (as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4). The hoseshroud 10 is arranged to have the outer edge 26 pass under the inneredge 24. The hose shroud 10 is then securely clamped in place by clamps29 engaging with respective clamping sections 22. Once fitted the hoseshroud 10 acts as a physical barrier to prevent swarf or foreignmaterial from passing into the bundle of hydraulic hoses.

The expanded sections 12 define reservoirs 28 once the hose shroud 10 isengaged with a bundle of hoses. The reservoirs 28 are arranged in such amanner that in the event of a hose contained within the hose shroud 10bursting or beginning to leak, fluid will initially be trapped withinthe reservoir 28. Once the reservoir 28 is filled, the fluid containedthere within will be able to exit through the lumen 14 to the exteriorof the hose shroud 10 in a controlled manner.

Although the inner wall surface 20 and the outer wall surface 18 are inclose contact the lumen 14 will be maintained due to inter-engagement ofthe protuberances 16 and the inner wall surface 20. The protuberances 16engage the inner wall surface 20 of the inner edge 24 in such a mannerthat regardless of the pressure applied in engaging the hose shroud 10around the bundle of hydraulic hoses, the lumen 14 may be partiallyreduced in cross section it will be maintained.

In the event of the reservoir 28 filling with liquid under pressure,liquid will be forced along the lumen 14 to the exterior of the hoseshroud 10 and discharged. Due to the increased area of release, theresulting spill of fluid will be at a greatly reduced pressure incomparison to that of the puncture point, thus reducing the danger ofinjury to personnel as a result of a leak.

Further, the action of the reservoir may enable personnel to notice aproblem prior to the expulsion of liquid through the lumen 14. Once theoperating pressure of the hydraulic fluid drops as fluid is lost throughthe damaged hose or line, the operator of whatever machinery that iscurrently being powered may have a greater time to respond, prior tohydraulic fluid escaping into the work area. Thus, there is provided anopportunity to power the machinery down before leakage out of the hoseshroud 10 occurs.

Although the hose shroud 10 may be of any length it may still in certaincircumstances be necessary to join additional sections of the hoseshroud 10 together to engage a bundle of hoses or lines as shown in FIG.2. Individual sections of the hose shroud 10 may be interconnected byarranging a first clamping section 22 of a first piece of hose shroud 10to come into close contact with a second clamping section 22 of a secondpiece of hose shroud 10, such that when clamps or mounting brackets areplaced over the clamping section 22, the clamping sections 22 of bothpieces are brought into close contact with each other.

It may be necessary to use known abrasive resistance components in areaswhere the bundle it likely to rub against a foreign body.

Modifications and variations as would be apparent to a skilled addresseeare deemed to be within the scope of the present invention.

1. A hose shroud being arranged to cover and engage a bundle of hoses orlines, characterised in that said hose shroud includes inner wallsurfaces and outer wall surfaces, said hose shroud includes an exterior,said inner wall surfaces and said outer wall surfaces of said hoseshroud are spaced apart and form a lumen to allow the passage of fluidscontained within said hose shroud to said exterior of said hose shroud.2. A hose shroud in accordance with claim 1, characterised in that saidhose shroud comprises a plurality of alternating expanded sections andclamping sections.
 3. A hose shroud in accordance with claim 2,characterised in that said clamping sections to be held in close contactwith a bundle of hoses or lines.
 4. A hose shroud according to claim 1,characterised in that said outer wall surface includes a plurality ofspaced raised protuberances.
 5. A hose shroud according to claim 1,characterised in that said hose shroud includes an outer edge and aninner edge, said outer edge of said hose shroud is placed under saidinner edge of said hose shroud such that said lumen is defined by saidspaced apart inner and outer wall surfaces.
 6. A hose shroud inaccordance with claim 1, characterised in that said hose shroud isarranged such that when said hose shroud engages a bundle of hoses orlines said inner wall surfaces define a reservoir therein.
 7. A hoseshroud according to claim 2, characterised in that said hose shroudfurther comprises at least one web portion to prevent swarf or foreignmatter entering said lumen of said expanded sections.
 8. A hose shroudaccording to claim 1, characterised in that a clamping means is arrangedto hold said clamping sections of said hose shroud in close contact withsaid bundle of hoses or lines.
 9. A hose shroud according to claim 2,characterised in that a plurality of hose shrouds are brought into closecontact such that the clamping section of one hose shroud is in closeabutting contact with a second clamping section of another hose shroud.10. A hose shroud according to claim 4, characterised in that saidplurality of raised protuberances extend from said outer wall surfacesfor at least part of the circumference of said hose shroud.
 11. A hoseshroud according to claim 10, characterised in that said plurality ofraised protuberances extend from said outer wall surfaces for asubstantial part of said circumference of said hose shroud.
 12. A hoseshroud according to claim 1, characterised in that said hose shroudcomprises an elastomeric polymer material.
 13. A hose shroud accordingto claim 1, characterised in that said hose shroud comprises athermoplastic material.
 14. A hose shroud according to claim 1,characterised in that said hose shroud comprises a polyurethane material